. >> host: rachel cox, who was rob cox? >> guest: rob cox is my deceased uncle who made the decision in june of 1941, six months before pearl harbor brought america into world war ii, he made the decision that he wanted to fight the war against fascism and went to england and enlisted as aen officer candidate with the british -- as an officer candidate with the british army. he took with him four friends, another man who was a student at harvard and three dartmouth guys who had recently graduated and were intent on doing what they could to help the cause of freedom and liberty against the forces of nazi fascism. >> host: and so he was studying at harvard at the time. what was he studying, and what was his life trajectory at that point? >> guest: well, he, like his -- he, like his fore brothers, had grown up in new jersey and vermont where his family had had property for quite, several generations. he went to prep school at st. paul school where he distinguished himself as a student and as a student leader and as an athlete.